Hopefully, you will heed the advice of folks who have successfully executed multiple moves and make sure that all your belongings are securely attached inside your vehicle or in the bed of a truck. What might seem like a small loss to you when your plastic lawn chair ends up on the highway, could become a major issue if a driver hits the chair and crashes, potentially injuring (or worse) people.

Quick tips:

1. Make sure the size of your items is appropriate for the size of vehicle you are using to haul. Large items that hang over the sides, back, or top of a vehicle can easily shift or fall out or off the vehicle.
2. Don’t rely on bungee cords or rope. Use ratchet straps and cargo nets. Always use two or more tie-downs.
3. Use a cargo net or tarp to cover lightweight items that might blow around, even if they are tied down.
4. Make sure your items don’t slide.
5. Balance the weight of the load. Be sure the cargo’s weight is centered and placed as close to the axles as possible, which takes advantage of the vehicle frame’s strength.

Here’s a link to a great resource on how to make sure all your stuff makes it safely to your destination - https://www.tciteam.com/secure-your-load/

So far in 2021, there have been 176 deaths in traffic crashes. That is an increase of 11 since last Friday. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, go to the daily fatality report at https://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/stats/daily.pdf